Plant Profile: Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri)

Vibrant rose blooms on a variety of Gaura

Plant Profile: Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri)

Description

Gaura, also called Wandflower or Whirling Butterflies, is a perennial with an airy, delicate form. Its tall, wiry stems carry clouds of fluttering pink or white flowers from late spring into fall, often right up to frost. In bloom, it gives the impression of a cloud of butterflies hovering above the foliage.

Ideal Uses

• Long-season bloom filler in mixed borders

• Cottage and meadow-style plantings

• Pairs beautifully with grasses and echinacea

• Great for pollinator gardens

Plant Profile

• Botanical Name: Oenothera lindheimeri (formerly Gaura lindheimeri)

• Common Names: Gaura, Wandflower, Whirling Butterflies

• Type: Herbaceous perennial (short-lived, often 3–5 years)

• Height/Spread: 2–4 ft tall, 2–3 ft wide

• Bloom Time: Late spring through frost

• Flowers: White, pink, or bicolored; 1 in., starry, borne on airy stems

• Foliage: Narrow green to reddish leaves

• Hardiness: USDA zones 5–9

• Sun: Full sun (tolerates light shade, fewer blooms)

• Soil: Well-drained; thrives in lean, sandy soils

Maintenance Tips

• Deadhead lightly to keep it tidy, but continuous bloom requires little effort

• Shear back midseason if plants get floppy

• Avoid rich soil and overwatering, which cause sprawling growth

• Cut back hard in late fall or early spring

Design Notes

Gaura is best used in loose, naturalistic designs where its airy stems can sway with the wind. It adds movement, lightness, and a continuous flower show that ties plantings together across the seasons. Works especially well with ornamental grasses, salvias, rudbeckia, and echinacea.

Ecological Notes

• Attracts butterflies, bees, and hoverflies for months on end

• Provides nectar well into the fall when many plants are done

• Deer-resistant due to tough foliage

Cautions

• Short-lived perennial, often best treated as a 3–5 year plant

• Can self-seed lightly in lean soils